Detection of Free Radical Species in Metal Air Batteries & Organo-Metallic Complexes

该提案概述了台式电子顺磁共振（EPR）光谱仪的需要，以促进各种分子和电化学装置中的未成对电子的作用和反应机制的表征。在大众科学的背景下，不成对电子创造了“氧化剂”，“抗氧化剂”对它起作用。已知它们具有高度反应性，并且通常难以表征。EPR是进行这种表征的完美工具，然而EPR仪器曾经是大型、笨重的野兽，前期购买成本很高。最近，台式EPR温度计已经上市，使得这种仪器能够以合理的价格进行日常使用。维持费用和持续的业务费用微不足道。因此，我们请求资助一台台式EPR仪器，安装在麦克马斯特大学的核磁共振（NMR）设施内，并提供给任何接受过EPR培训的核磁共振设施用户（包括化学系的研究生），以及科学和工程学院），使用名义用户费用结构。 Goward和Emslie团队都是活跃的研究团队，拥有大型团队，他们非常渴望定期访问EPR为正在进行的项目提供的数据。在Emslie小组中，有一个积极的研究计划，开发包含过渡金属的设计分子，并用于创建微电子应用的薄膜。Goward集团的研究计划重点是利用先进的固态NMR表征Li+和Na+电池阴极材料中的锂和钠离子传输特性。最近，Goward小组研究了一种新型电池材料，即所谓的金属-空气电池，其中超氧自由基是反应途径中的关键中间体。内部EPR光谱仪将为两个研究小组提供直接的好处，并将随时提供给学生在这里描述的研究计划中进行培训和定期使用。

This proposal outlines the need for a benchtop electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer to facilitate characterization of the role and mechanism of reaction of unpaired electrons in a variety of molecules and electrochemical devices. In the context of the popular science, unpaired electrons create the “oxidants” against which “anti-oxidants” work. They are known to be highly reactive and often challenging to characterize. EPR is a perfect tool for such characterization, however EPR instruments used to be large, cumbersome beasts, with high upfront purchase costs. Recently, benchtop EPR spectometers have become available, enabling routine use of such instrumentation at affordable prices. The maintenance is negligible, as are the ongoing operational costs. Therefore, we request funding for a benchtop EPR instrument, to be housed within the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) facility at McMaster University, and available to any users of the NMR facility who have received EPR training, (which includes graduate students within the department of chemistry, and faculties of science and engineering), using a nominal user fee structure. Both the Goward and Emslie groups are active research teams, with large groups, who are very keen to have regular access to the data provided by EPR for ongoing projects. In the Emslie group there is an active research program on developing designer molecules that incorporate transition metals, and are utilized to create thin films for microelectronics applications. The research program in the Goward group focuses on the characterization of the lithium and sodium ion transport properties within Li+ and Na+ battery cathode materials, utilizing advanced solid-state NMR. Most recently, the Goward group have investigated a new type of battery materials, the so-called metal-air batteries, in which superoxide radicals are key intermediates in the reaction pathway. An in-house EPR spectrometer would provide direct benefit to both research groups, and would be readily available to students for training and regular use within the research programs described herein.